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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26034226">The Turn of the Stair</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysJohn/pseuds/AlwaysJohn'>AlwaysJohn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Early Days, M/M, Short &amp; Sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:55:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26034226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysJohn/pseuds/AlwaysJohn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Back to the beginning....</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes &amp; John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Turn of the Stair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Go home, John,” he prompted, as a cab appeared beside them. “I’ll meet you there after I debrief with Lestrade.” </p>
<p>“Sherlock? How? I can never..”</p>
<p><i>A magic trick,</i> his mind supplied, but dared not voice. “Don’t think, John. Just get in the cab.”</p>
<p>“I don’t have..I can’t pay..”</p>
<p>“I’ve paid in advance, John. You are exhausted. How you are still on your feet is a mystery to me.” Sherlock patted his cheek, much to John’s obvious narrow-eyed confusion. “In you get. I’ll be right behind you.”</p>
<p>“You love a mystery,” John murmured in barely a breath as Sherlock manoeuvred him into the cab. </p>
<p>
  <i>And I love you, John Watson.</i>
</p>
<p>Sherlock watched the cab disappear from sight before seeking out Lestrade. Oddly, he couldn’t decide if it was guilt or something like loss he felt for sending John home on his own. After another moment’s thought, there definitely was a hollow beneath his heart.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>An hour later, longer than Sherlock expected, the less-than-cheerful cabby would have taken the more scenic route to Baker Street if he hadn’t instructed otherwise, but he took pity on him, John’s influence he knew, and gave him the standard fare and tip before exiting.</p>
<p>The hallway was lit only by the tiny lamp on the table outside Mrs Hudson’s door. It was late, she’d no doubt gone to bed. As Sherlock quietly ascended the stairs, he glanced upward to the flat door that stood open as they left it on their rushed exit earlier in the day. The soft glow of the lamp beside the sofa offered a welcome home.</p>
<p>At the turn of the stair, he was startled by an unexpected shadow. There was John, curled up against the wall, asleep in a position certain to cause an irritable shoulder. </p>
<p>Dropping to one knee Sherlock gently rested his palm over John’s cheek, whispering his name to rouse rather than alarm him.</p>
<p>John turned his cheek into the warmth of his touch and sighed.</p>
<p>“John?”</p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p>“You can’t sleep here.”</p>
<p>“Mm, comfortable.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think so, at least not for much longer.”</p>
<p>“Need to sleep.”</p>
<p>“Indeed, John, but not here. Come on, up you get.”</p>
<p>Sherlock lifted him easily, supporting him with an arm around his waist. John leaned into him, stumbling up the last few steps. </p>
<p>Sherlock glanced at and immediately dismissed attempting the stairs to John’s room, detouring instead to his own. John would not approve, but safety must.</p>
<p>John prised open one eye, and immediately protested.</p>
<p>“This...your bed. No, Sher-lock.”</p>
<p>“Shut.up.John.”</p>
<p>Pulling off John’s jacket, and tumbling his unsteady doctor onto the bed, Sherlock made quick work of his shoes and pulled the duvet up over his shoulder, holding him down with a firm hand on his hip when John tried to get up.</p>
<p>“Stay.”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>“Please?”</p>
<p>“Okaaaay.” </p>
<p>Sherlock patted his cheek. “Good boy.”</p>
<p>“Not a dog.”</p>
<p>“Go to sleep, John.” He stepped away toward the door.</p>
<p>“Sherlock?”</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>“Don’t go?”</p>
<p>Sherlock considered John’s request for a brief moment, tossed his suit coat onto the chair and toed out of his shoes, then lay next to John, on top of the duvet.</p>
<p>“Very well, John. I’ll just check my emails for a bit.”</p>
<p>“Yes, thank you.”</p>
<p>Sherlock never got around to his emails. He was too busy holding a slumbering John against his chest.</p>
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